


Do you trust me?

by Troodster1972



Category: Star Trek: Picard
Genre: F/F, Memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:21:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26835838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Troodster1972/pseuds/Troodster1972
Summary: Raffi asks Seven about her past, but Seven can't put it into words, so she offers an alternative way to share her memories.
Relationships: Raffi Musiker/Seven of Nine
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	Do you trust me?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mrs_javert](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrs_javert/gifts).



> This piece came about during one of our nightly online Voyager re-watch with Mrs_Javert  
> We actually have no idea if this is even possible, but we decided that it would be, so this is the result.  
> We regularly bounce ideas between each other and this was one of them.

The gentle hum of the La Sirena engines lulled in the dull surroundings of her mess hall as two figures still sat at the table. Seven and Raffi had remained there, well into the small hours of the morning. The others had long since retired to their quarters, leaving Emmet to man the bridge. 

The two women had spent the passing hours playing their now customary game of Kal Toh, at which Raffi “was beginning to show signs of improvement” according to Seven, much to Raffi’s delight. If she were honest, Raffi had little interest in the game but it was time spent with Seven, and she adored that. They had consumed one of Jean-Luc’s much-revered ‘86 and their inhibitions had been lowered a little. 

Once the game had ended, or rather, once Raffi had lost once more, the two had sat in each others’ quiet company sharing stories. Seven had listened intently as her lover recounted her childhood on Earth, her training at Starfleet Academy, her assignments to various ships afterwords. She had held her hands as she shed tears whilst she spoke of her marital breakdown, of which she took full responsibility, the subsequent estrangement between herself and her son. Holding her as she wept freely upon her shoulder. 

They shared talk of the mess left behind by Starfleet’s withdrawal from the Romulan rescue. Raffi told her how both she and Picard had fought to continue, both parting from Starfleet in their separate ways. Seven told her how the Fenris Rangers had been attempting to “pick up the pieces since.” There had been no criticisms, each respecting each other’s attempts to aid the crisis.

Seven listened as Raffi recounted her spiral afterwards.  
The alcohol excess.  
The drug use.  
Her shame.

Seven listened. 

And Raffi noticed.

“Ya know honey, you know pretty much all about me by now,” Raffi said, resting her elbow on the table and dropping her chin to her hand. “I could write what I know about you on the back of this wine label.” as she idly picked at the embossed label which graced the bottle.

Seven watched as dark fingers slowly attempted to peel the label from its glass wall, slightly encumbered by the consumption of its contents.

“I would have assumed that Starfleet would have told you all you needed to know,” she said. “Am I not required reading by all cadets?”

“Oh, they tell us what they want us to know. That’s the problem. Its what they _want _us to know.” Raffi smiled as she looked up. “I wanna know _you _. The real Seven. Not the textbook one.”____

____Seven regarded the curls which glowed like a halo around Raffi’s head, she silently noted the number of individual hairs and logged it in her memory engrams. Yet another unwanted souvenir from the Collective._ _ _ _

____“What more do you wish to know?” she asked._ _ _ _

____“Well,” Raffi raised her hands out, “I dunno, I mean, like the kinda stuff I told you. What do wanna be when you were a kid?”_ _ _ _

____She hesitated. Suddenly regretting asking the question. The recollection that Seven was assimilated as a child exploding to the forefront of her mind._ _ _ _

____“Shit, babe, I’m sorry.” she gasped at the blonde woman’s hand._ _ _ _

____“It’s ok,” Seven said quietly, taking Raffi’s hand in her own. “Forget it.”_ _ _ _

____Raffi squeezed gently, reiterating her apology._ _ _ _

____“I just, I just wanna know about you. I know that you’ve been through a lot. Well, actually that’s probably the understatement of the millennia,” she laughed quietly, “... I just, wanna know you. Whats happened?” she paused, and whispered, “what have you been through babe…?”_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____She watched, as Seven held her gaze. She was sure that she could see some deep emotion behind those piercing blue eyes, yet she could not place it._ _ _ _

____She watched, as full lips parted, yet no words came._ _ _ _

____She watched as Seven looked away, as though contemplating her options._ _ _ _

____Raffi smiled, and laughed gruffly, “Babe, I told you my shit.”_ _ _ _

____Seven looked back to her.  
“My - ‘shit’ - is different.”_ _ _ _

____She watched, as from the periphery of her vision, she saw a knee begin to tremble as Seven began to speak._ _ _ _

____“I, do wish to share with you.” she hesitated, struggling to continue. “It is just, that I, am unsure that i would be able to tell you.”_ _ _ _

____Raffi slid close to the corner of the table, pulling Seven’s hand close and placing a soft kiss upon the knuckles. “Babe, you can share anything with me. I love you. Nothing will change that.” She smiled, with that smile which she firmly held in reserve for Seven._ _ _ _

____She glanced down towards the Borg enhanced hand which rested on the table, metal-tipped fingers making a soft clicking noise as they were anxiously tapped together._ _ _ _

____Finally, Seven spoke._ _ _ _

____“Do you trust me?”_ _ _ _

____“Sure.” Raffi scoffed._ _ _ _

____Seven sighed. “I mean, do you really trust me Raffi? Fully”_ _ _ _

____Raffi regarded her for a moment. “Babe, I trust you more than anyone…”_ _ _ _

____“With your life?” The question hung in the air._ _ _ _

____“Yeah.”_ _ _ _

____She suddenly became aware that Seven’s hand had slipped across the tabletop and now rested before her, she reached out to take hold of the fingers only to be stopped, as Seven jerked it away from her grasp._ _ _ _

____“I cannot tell you, verbally, what has happened,” she said quietly. “However, if you trust me, and if you will permit me, I could … show you.”_ _ _ _

____“What?” Raffi let out a huff and laughed, “you mean like a Vulcan mind-meld?”_ _ _ _

____Seven looked into the brown eyes which she had grown to love. A feeling which she had grown to believe she would never experience._ _ _ _

____“Similar,” she began, “however, the technique would deposit my own memories directly to your own.”_ _ _ _

____“Okay, “ the word drolled from Raffi’s tongue, “so what do ya mean? how?”_ _ _ _

____Seven tilted her head, preparing her answer._ _ _ _

____“The technique would involve delivering the information …” she hesitated, “via my assimilation tubules”_ _ _ _

____Raffi felt herself lean away slightly as she realised what Seven had said._ _ _ _

____“Your uhm…” she looked down at the hand in front of her. A sudden rush of fear struck her, she knew exactly what those tubules meant. They meant Borg. They meant assimilation. Horror. The most feared part of any drone. They created drones._ _ _ _

____“Do you trust me?”_ _ _ _

____She forced her eyes back to Seven’s._ _ _ _

____She knew exactly what Seven was capable of, of the horrific pain that she could inflict - if she chose to._ _ _ _

____“What… what would you - would it hurt?“ Raffi stumbled over her question._ _ _ _

____“The initial injection would cause minor discomfort. However the process itself will not cause pain, and will last only a few moments.” Seven said. “I will not hurt you. I promise.” she implored._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Silence hung between then, leaving only the distant sounds of the warp core conducting its duty to fill the moment._ _ _ _

____“I won’t do anything which you do not want.” Seven added._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____She hung on Seven’s words. Knowing with all certainty that there was no way on any earth that she would harm her in any manner. Seven had been more gentle with her than she could have ever imagined nor dreamed. The tenderness of this woman had stunned her._ _ _ _

____She trusted her._ _ _ _

____With the barest nod of her head, Raffi agreed._ _ _ _

____“Are you sure?” Seven offered once more._ _ _ _

____“ .. yeh” came her reply._ _ _ _

____“Ok.”_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Raffi turned her attention back to the augmented hand of Seven’s as it rose near her neck. She held in a gasp as she watched the tubules begin to appear through the mesh metalwork covering the knuckles of the hand. The two smooth metal tubes began to snake vulgarly from their hiding place as the hand moved towards their destination at the side of her neck._ _ _ _

____The two locked eyes, a moment of hesitation giving Raffi the opportunity to withdraw._ _ _ _

____She hissed as the tubules thrust into the skin of her neck._ _ _ _

____Instantly her mind was assaulted with images._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____A small blond child.  
A ship. Laughter. A birthday cake, with candles.  
Fear.  
Chaos.  
Darkness.  
Men.  
Running. Hiding.  
Mamma! Pappa!_ _ _ _

____Pain.  
Voices.  
Voices.  
A little girl.  
So many voices. They are comforting.  
Fear. but not my own fear. Others. They fear me.  
They resist.  
Resistance is futile!  
Death.  
So much death.  
A little girl. She dances.  
Federation.  
Separation.  
The voices are gone.  
Silence.  
The others are gone.  
Fear.  
Isolation.  
The girl. Her papa holds her hand as she pirouettes.  
Fear. They fear me. They distrust me.  
Pain. Loss.  
A young man.  
Sorrow, such sorrow_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____As quickly as they had entered, the tubules snapped back from her neck._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Raffi recoiled, as her mind attempted to process the bombardment of memories which Seven had shared._ _ _ _

____She felt her heart pound chest, bile rising to sting her throat. Tears nipped at her eyes. She sucked in air as she attempted to slow her breaths._ _ _ _

____Seven eased away, averting her eyes as her apprehension began to grow, anxious to Raffi’s response._ _ _ _

____Raffi's hands flew to her mouth as her tears freely began to fall. She looked at Seven, overwhelmed by the images which still bombarded her._ _ _ _

____“I’m sorry.” Seven began to rise from her seat. “I shouldn’t have.”_ _ _ _

____“Baby don’t!” Raffi grasped at her arm, “don’t.” Seven sat back down, unable to look at Raffi. “Honey …” She leaned forward and enveloped the woman with her arms. “I’m, I’m so sorry.”_ _ _ _

____She held Seven, cradling her head to the warm curve of her neck, where only moments earlier, the tubules had been attached. She stroked the back of her head, running fingers through blonde hair._ _ _ _

____“My god, Seven. So much, just, so much. I…” she turned her head, placing her lips next to the shell of Seven’s ear. “Babe,” she whispered._ _ _ _

____Seven slowly withdrew from the embrace and both women looked into each other’s eyes. Raffi slowly raised a hand and cupped the side of her face, gently stroking a tear which had escaped from a blue eye._ _ _ _

____“I couldn’t tell you.” Seven’s voice is barely audible._ _ _ _

____“I know, I understand.”_ _ _ _

____“I saw, I kept seeing, a little girl… that was you?”_ _ _ _

____Seven nodded silently._ _ _ _

____“You showed me her. More than once honey.” Seven nods once more. “Why?” Raffi asks._ _ _ _

____“She, “ Seven glanced down at Raffi’s hand on the table, taking it in her own. “Those memories, that little girl, dancing with my papa before…” she hesitated as fresh tears fell, “those were the few happy memories I had.”_ _ _ _

____She looked back at Raffi._ _ _ _

____“Until I met you.”_ _ _ _

____Raffi closed her eyes, absorbing what Seven had just said. The universe had been beyond cruel to this woman, and she was damned sure that she would change that._ _ _ _

____Starting from now._ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> Paris and Anni, you have both inspired me beyond belief, you have brought out the inner scribe which I never knew was there.


End file.
